Mercedes-Benz UNIMOG Overview (1953-1962) www.mbzponton.

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UNIMOG
Overview of the UNIMOG models made during the 1953-1962 period

Universal Motorized Implement

Universal-Motor-Gert (UNIMOG)
The Mercedes-Benz UNIMOG is a four-wheel-drive, all-terrain vehicle with high
ground clearance and a power take-off (PTO) at the front and rear. They are
highly adaptable and can be customized to support any type of auxiliary
equipment. The UNIMOG was developed after WWII as a specialized agricultural
vehicle. Not quite tractor and not quite truck, it would be an aid to farmers
who needed something that could plough the fields and bring their produce to
market. In 1945, prototypes were built at a factory in southern Germany. In
1948, a 25 hp Daimler-Benz OM 636 diesel engine was added. In 1951, production
moved to Gaggenau. In 1953, the UNIMOG was being developed and built by
Daimler-Benz. Today, new UNIMOG models are still being built at the Gaggenau
factory and are in public, private and government (military) service all over
the world.

Between 1953-1962, there were three distinct UNIMOG body styles, which can be
defined loosely as...
Angular, with Soft Top (1951-1963)
Streamlined, with Enclosed Cab (1953-1956)
Military Specification, with more Power (1956-1980)

UNIMOG Body Style 1

Angular, with Soft Top (1951-1963)
These models used diesel engines and traveled at speeds from 0.5 km/h (0.3
miles/h) in low gear up to 52 km/h (32 miles/h) in high gear.
Table 1
UNIMOG TypeProducedEngine hp
U2010/1 to 86/1951-8/195325
U401.101 to 1038/1953-8/195625
U402.101, 103, 10511/1953-10/195625
U411.110, 112, 1168/1956-10/196125/30/32
U411a (U411.110, 112)10/1961-2/196332
England, circa 1957: Demonstration of a Mercedes-Benz UNIMOG U401 hauling 3.5
tons of timber along a muddy forest road
Indonesia, circa 1957: A Mercedes-Benz Ponton sedan encounters a UNIMOG Type
U401
Finland, circa 1957: UNIMOG shipment arrives in Helsinki
Mercedes-Benz UNIMOG Type U401.101 with a variety of implements at an
agricultural exhibition in Madrid, Spain, circa 1957
Using the UNIMOG U401.101 as a fire fighting pump

Madeira, Portugal, circa 1957

Mercedes-Benz UNIMOG Type U411
owner: Josef Steiner / Germany / June, 2000
Table 2
UNIMOG TypeYear BuiltEngineEngine hpTop Speed
U411.1101961OM 6363053 km/h (33 miles/h)

UNIMOG Body Style 2

Streamlined, with Enclosed Cab (1953-1956)
In October, 1953 the second Mercedes-Benz UNIMOG body style began production.
It was produced by Westfalia. The radiator grille and fully enclosed cabin
were more streamlined than the 1946 UNIMOG prototype and included the
following models.
Table 3
UNIMOG TypeProducedEngine hp
U401.104 to 10610/1953-9/195625
U401.111 and 113?/1956-8/195730/32
U402.102 and 10411/1953-8/195625
Two streamlined Mercedes-Benz UNIMOG U401 models in Germany. The closed
all-steel driver s cabin, which was produced on commission by the Westfalia
company, is affectionately nicknamed Froschauge (froggy eyes) by German
UNIMOG enthusiasts.
Mercedes-Benz UNIMOG models introduced to members of the Texas agricultural
community at the State Fair in Dallas, Texas, circa 1957. The streamlined U401
body is at the far left.
Denver, Colorado USA, circa 1957: A streamlined Type U401.111 (30 hp)
Mercedes-Benz UNIMOG-S Type U404 (left) and UNIMOG Type U401 in the Rocky
Mountains of Vancouver, British Columbia, circa 1957

UNIMOG Body Style 3

Military Specification, with more Power (1956-1980)
The third Mercedes-Benz UNIMOG body style of the 1953-1962 period was the Type
U404. It was introduced in 1956, and production ran until 1980. Also known as
the UNIMOG-S, it used a 24 volt electric system and had a 2.2 liter (134 cubic
inch) 82 hp, 6-cylinder gasoline engine (that was also used in the
Mercedes-Benz Type 220S Ponton sedan). Fuel consumption on the UNIMOG-S models
ranged from 18.5 liters/100 km (12.7 miles/gallon US = 15.3 miles/gallon
Imperial) to 60 liters/100 km (3.92 miles/gallon US = 4.7 miles/gallon
Imperial).
An early (circa 1956) UNIMOG-S Type U404 during a demonstration for the media

Mercedes-Benz UNIMOG-S Type U404 (1956-1980)

Belgian Army troop carrier

a Swiss pattern vehicle used as a

Photo courtesy: Jeff Miller / February 15, 1995

Mercedes-Benz UNIMOG Type U404 dashboard and cabin
Seventer's home in Palo Alto, California.
owner: Michael Smith / California

parked at Ron van

M180 engine for Type 404S Mercedes-Benz UNIMOG

There are differences between the M180 engine shown here and the M180 used in
the Type 220S Ponton sedans, coups and cabriolets. For instance, some early
M180 engines have the large bolt-on side panels. All of them (like the one
pictured) have the early 7.0:1 compression ratio. All of them have military
grade flywheels, carburetors, generators, short water pumps (three hole), oil
pans, and front end counterweights. This one has probably been overhauled by
either of two very competent German concerns (FWN and IWS are the prominent
ones) who routinely overhaul all sorts of equipment for the German military.

Photo courtesy: Jeff Miller / October 27, 2008

Dinky (France) model 804
Diecast (1:43 scale replica) of a UNIMOG Type 404S troop carrier
View more Mercedes-Benz Pontonobilia

Mercedes-Benz UNIMOG-S Type U404 airport crash tender

circa 1960

1964 Mercedes-Benz UNIMOG-S Type U404.113 fire truck

circa November, 2002 / Owner: Pat Potucek
The important thing to mention about this truck is that it is a Metz van body
style one of about 20 made
Courtesy: Jeff Lenzner August 23, 2003

1966 Mercedes-Benz UNIMOG-S Type U404 "Radio Box"

owner: Martin Moerman (PD1AJE) / Scheveningen, Netherlands
Amateur ("HAM") radio operator, Martin Moerman (PD1AJE) works from the
enclosed area of his 1966 Mercedes-Benz Type 404 UNIMOG, which affords ample
protection from the outside elements. View more photos by following the link
in the "References / Acknowledgements" section at the bottom of this page.

1968 Mercedes-Benz UNIMOG-S Type U404.113 with a Westfalia hard cab

Outside the strict 1953-1962 "Ponton era" range, this Type U404 UNIMOG was
built in 1968. Recall the Type U404 was made from 1956-1980. This vehicle was
converted from a single cab to a double cab by Lesonal Werke in Munich. It has
an extra high windshield, heater in the rear cab, and better seating for the
driver. The double cabs were all made for the German post office (Deutsche
Bundespost) and this one retired from DBP in 1978 when the Berchtesgaden fire
department picked it up. It is one of about sixteen that were produced.
Courtesy: Jeff Lenzner August 23, 2003.

1970 Mercedes-Benz UNIMOG Type 404S

Factory fitted with a rare three-door double crew cab ("Doka") built for the
civil defense organization in Scandinavia
Painted international blaze orange for easy identification (blue civil defense
triangle still visible on the roof). Triangles on side were over-painted for
sale on the civilian market. Rear cabin was originally constructed without
rear seating, this was added later. It is just a bench seat, raised so it can
double as a litter/bed. Although it does not have a raised ceiling, it is
actually slightly longer than the Lesonal variant. Snorkel kit visible on the
right with a dust pre filter. The snorkel bolts directly onto the air intake.
Photos of this UNIMOG taken during the weekend of April 10-11, 2004 /
Courtesy: Jeff Lenzner / April 18, 2004

Further Reading
Visit the Literature page to purchase books on Mercedes-Benz UNIMOG,
Gelndewagen, Trucks and Buses

References / Acknowledgements
UNIMOG - A German Legend / Georg Wolfgang Schramm / See Links for website
Mercedes-Benz In Aller Welt / Black & white photos from various 1957-1960
issues
Thanks to Josef Steiner of Germany for the Mercedes-Benz UNIMOG Type-matrix
from which the tables on this web page were created
Thanks to Michael Smith of United Parts Service for the description of the
Type 404S M180 engine. See Links for Michael's UNIMOG website, "Unipaser"
Thanks to Jeff Lenzner (jlenzner@clatskanie.com) and Pat Potucek for the Type
U404.113 photos. August 18, 2003. Additional thanks to Jeff Lenzer for the
1970 Type 404S extended cab photos / April 18, 2004
August 3, 2004: Thanks to Karl Schultz of Pretoria, South Africa for providing
photos and historical narrative regarding his 1978 UNIMOG Type U416 "extreme
camper", which was originally designed for military duty in South Africa
November 19, 2008: Photos of 1966 Type 404 "Radio Box" courtesy: Martin
Moerman (PD1AJE) / Scheveningen, Netherlands

Created: May 25, 2002 / Jeff Miller

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